Postgraduate study in Aberdeen

Based on the coast about 95 miles from Edinburgh and 400 miles from London, Aberdeen is the centre of education for the north-east of Scotland. Nicknamed the Granite City, the centre of Aberdeen boasts a wealth of buildings made from locally quarried granite, a series of award-winning gardens and parks, and a long expanse of sandy beach.

Scotland's third largest city is known for its oil and gas industry and ongoing quest to become the energy capital of Europe. For instance, graduate quantity surveyors and engineers are sought on an ongoing basis by big name recruiters such as Shell and Talisman Energy.

The traditional Aberdonian food, fishing and farming industries also attract those with ambitions to work in hospitality, catering and food technology, logistics and manufacturing.

Many niche business sectors (eg IT, engineering specialisms, software development, electronic design, bio-technologies and environmental sciences) have set up home in Aberdeen's science and business parks, providing tech-savvy graduates with a variety of opportunities.

In 2012, Mercer named Aberdeen as the fourth most ‘liveable’ city in the UK (and 56th in the world). The HSBC named the city as a leading business hub, and one of the eight cities leading the UK’s recovery after the economic downturn.

Postgraduate study

Student satisfaction at the University of Aberdeen is ranked in the top five in Scotland. The university itself offers over 140 masters programmes in subjects from business to nutrition to environmental microbiology.

Robert Gordon University (RGU) is ranked first in Scotland for student employability and is known for its excellent library and information management rankings. RGU features highly in the best modern university rankings each year, and specialises in courses with a professional focus.

The Robert Gordon University campus is based in the south-west of Aberdeen in parkland by the banks of the River Dee. Notable buildings include the Aberdeen Business School building, designed by Norman Foster as part of the design concept for the Garthdee campus.

The Scottish Agricultural College is popular with agricultural and land-based postgrads.